Mainstreaming Gender-Based Analysis of the Women’s Hospital of Costa Rica

Explain how Gender-Based Analysis (GBA) helped the transformation of the Women’s Hospital in Costa Rica through the implementation of the Women’s Health Integral Attention Model Process developed since 1999.

Methods:

A descriptive type investigation with a quantitative methodology was followed to build and understand learning about the Hospital’s transformation process. Also, an evaluation of three programmes directed to the attention of women’s health was conducted with a retrospective vision through GBA. This analysis was completed with a reflexive revision of the process documentation.

Results:

A transformation process of the hospital was achieved, from a traditional one to a strategic planning hospital which works with communities and women to make decisions regarding health, with the creation of programmes and projects through GBA. In relation to Sexual and Reproductive Health, new forms of attention were directed to: childbirth, abortion, integral attention to the adolescent mothers, women of the medium age, cervical-uterine health, intra-family violence, HIV/AIDS, drugs, maternal nursing and healthy lifestyles. Nine interdisciplinary teams were developed for the formulation and execution of a women’s integral health model. A base of active citizenship was created, formed by three women’s health associations and a board for women’s health. A health network was developed, composed of eleven areas that developed the Access Plan for the pathology of the uterus neck with the support of women. Evaluation and monitoring of the qualitative and quantitative attention was set up. As a result of the project, decreases were noted for delays for colposcopy consultation from six to one and a half months, and for menopause consultations from nine to three months. Training of 517 employees from the health network was carried out to improve the sensitivity of care for women, also reaching 95% of hospital members.

Conclusion (max 400 words):

GBA implementation produced profound changes in the treatment of problems and women’s health needs and enhanced: strategic planning, revision of physical infrastructure, revision of working processes and administration, distribution of spaces, challenge of management structures, allocation of budgets, new obstetrical practices, and methodologies and processes of work. GBA is beneficial for the care of women’s health.